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Brief Summary

The folks at Hydra-Sports know what you need to have aboard to go offshore for game fish and have built it all in as standard on the 2300 CC. This boat is not intended for the beginner who doesn't know if he really wants to go fishing or not, but rather for the veteran angler who has been-there-done-that and now wants to do it right. Powered by either a single 250-hp or 300-hp outboard, the 2300 CC will get out to the fishing grounds quickly, and because of its Carolina bow flare, it should be a very dry ride.

Key Features

Specifications

Length Overall

22' 4'' 6.8 m

Beam

8' 6'' 2.59 m

Dry Weight

3,842 lbs. 1,743 kg

Tested Weight

N/A

Draft

15'' 0.38 m

- Draft Up

N/A

- Draft Down

N/A

- Air Draft

N/A

Deadrise/Transom

20 deg.

Max Headroom

open

Bridge Clearance

8' 0'' 2.43 m with hardtop

Weight Capacity

N/A

Person Capacity

N/A

Fuel Capacity

142 gal. 538 L

Water Capacity

8 gal. 30.28 L

Length on Trailer

N/A

Height on Trailer

N/A

Trailer Weight

N/A

Total Weight(Trailer, Boat, & Engine)

N/A

Prices, features, designs, and equipment are subject to change. Please see your local dealer or visit the builder's website for the latest information available on this boat model.

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Captain's Report

The Hydra-Sports 2300 CC is intended for seasoned offshore anglers and is ready for a blue water fight right out of the box.

The Mission of the Hydra-Sports 2300 CC

The 2300 CC from Hydra-Sports is designed to be a serious offshore fishing machine. The builder is not hedging its marketing bets by promoting it as a "cross-over" boat or a sometimes family cruiser or wakeboat. No, the Hydra-Sports 2300 CC is for the no-compromise angler and his fishy friends. With an 8'6" (2.59 m) beam she is trailerable so fishing trips can follow the seasons and the fish. And, like all Hydra-Sports boats she is intended for blue water.

Distinctive Features

With so many center consoles on the market we think it is important to quickly point out what sets the 2300 CC apart from most of the rest --

Nearly everything you need is standard

. Hydra-Sports is not playing the old game of low-balling the price then making buyers specify a laundry list of needed options. The 2300 CC is "ready to fish" right out of the box. Look at the standard features-- *

Oil tank with remote fill for 2-cycle installations

Full composite construction.

Wood is not used in the 2300 so there is never any worry about rot, water absorption, or a deck going squishy.

Kevlar in the hull.

Hydra-Sports is one of the few builders that puts a layer of Kevlar in the keel of its boats to protect against damage when grounding or hitting a submerged object.

Thru-hulls done right.

On the 2300 CC the thru-hull fittings below the waterline are all corrosion-resistant bronze, and above the waterline the thru-hulls are stainless steel.

Bird's eye view of the 2300 CC showing the wide clearances past the center console and bench seat. The red arrows show the horizontal distance of the dramatic Carolina bow flare.

Internal compartments drain overboard.

The anchor locker, livewell and both fish boxes drain overboard, not into the bilge.

Ceramic transom.

Hydra-Sports is the only builder we know of which puts a ceramic plate in the transom between the hull and the inner liner. According to the company this ceramic plate has the strength of a solid piece of aluminum that is a 1.5" (37 mm) thick. This structure is what allows the boat to be able to handle the weight and torque of a 300-hp outboard.

Pressure fresh water.

The Hydra-Sports 2300 CC is one of the few boats in class that has a freshwater tank (8 gal./30 L) and a pressure water system as standard equipment.

Waves wash up the bow flare and away as there is no other place to go.

Carolina bow flare.

Virtually all center console boats have some bow flare, but most do not have much. In fact, most CC designs rely primarily on the running angle of the boat and its hard chines and running strakes to knock down water when running at high speed. The 2300 CC takes advantage of those attributes as well but has one more trick up her sleeve. She has exaggerated bow flare, a concept that was started by the Rybovich brothers in their large, Palm Beach sportfishermen, then copied by Outer Banks boat builders for the Carolina big game charter fleet. The concept of turning the waves from vertical to horizontal works just as well on small boats. Not only does this help keep spray from being blown back into the cockpit at speed, but it also helps keep waves from sloshing over the bow when trolling at slow speeds or when drifting in sloppy conditions.

Relatively high freeboard.

When going offshore higher freeboard is better and the 2300 CC has a relatively high freeboard forward compared with other boats in class.

Centerline transom walkthrough.

A transom door is raised off the cockpit sole and gives easy access to the outboard well and the small swim platforms. Even more important, it serves when closed as a splash guard in following seas or when coming to an abrupt stop. It is also an excellent emergency dewatering device if swamped.

Built in the same plant as Mastercraft.

Hydra-Sports is owned by the same company that owns Mastercraft ski and wakeboard boats and the two brands are built in the same plant in Vonore, TN. What is so important about that? Simply that Mastercraft has a long and well-deserved reputation for building some of the finest small boats in the world. Its high standards of fit-and-finish and superb glass work, and its culture of quality on the shop floor cannot help but take Hydra-Sports products to a new level of execution, in our opinion.

Robust hardware.

The builder does not skimp on deck hardware. All cleats are 316 stainless and 8" (20 cm) which are larger than on many boats in class.

Construction

The Hydra-Sports 2300 CC is built with hand-laid fiberglass lamination and the company says that premium gelcoat materials are used. Like most builders these days Hydra-Sports applies a barrier coat of vinylester resin to inhibit blistering, but unlike most builders it also sprays in a coat of ceramic material to stop pattern print through. A pre-formed fiberglass grid system of transverse and longitudinal stringers is chemically bonded to the hull bottom and injected with urethane foam. We have already mentioned the Kevlar in the keel and the ceramic plate in the transom.

Large fish boxes under the bow casting platform drain overboard. There is a cooler under the console seat.

Fishy Features

Abaft the helm seat is a 31-gal. (117 L) livewell with cutting board on the lid. It has a light, a 500 gph pump and an overboard drain. Forward there is a proper anchor locker and two cleats. The bow casting platform is large. Aft there are two raised, small platforms for standing and there is a good amount of room behind the leaning post and livewell for two anglers. The 2300 CC has all of the normal fishing features such as rod holders and in-gunwale rod storage.

A 31-gal. livewell is just abaft the helm seat.

The Helm and Console

As seen in the pictures there is plenty of room for a 15'' nav screen. The windscreen is tempered glass and not plexy, there is a standard compass, and all of the switches are water resistant. We like the tray on top of the console to put stuff. Below there is a foot rest when sitting and yet another when leaning. A VHF is standard.The leaning post is standard but a deluxe model with two separate bolsters is optional. Below the leaning post is the livewell.

Head compartment.

Inside of the console there is 5'6" (1.67 m) of head room which is quite good in this size of center console. A Porta-Potti is standard and an interior liner which gives the compartment a finished, professional look.

Performance

We have not tested the 2012 2300 CC, but the folks at Yamaha have. Powered by an Yamaha F300 XCA 4-stroke outboard with an estimated total test weight of 5,363 lbs. (2,437 kg.) the Yamaha techs report a WOT speed of 48.8 mph. They found the most economical cruise speed to be at 3500 rpm going 27.3 mph. At that speed the boat was burning 8.3 gallons, getting 3.29 statute miles per gallon. That gives the 2300 CC a range of 420 statute miles (364.9 nautical miles/675.9 km) with a 10% fuel reserve.

Price of the Hydra-Sports 2300 CC

The MSRP base price of the 2300 powered by a 250-hp Evinrude E-TEC outboard is $87,675. Equipped with the F300 Yamaha the MSRP is $90,764.

The transom shower comes standard.

Observations on the Hydra-Sports 2300 CC

The Hydra-Sports 2300 CC is loaded, ruggedly constructed and priced accordingly. Not everyone needs a boat of this caliber nor can afford it. But for those who do need a 23-footer with a relatively high freeboard and good sea-keeping abilities for offshore game fishing, then the Hydra-Sports 2300 CC should certainly fill the bill. When comparing boats make sure to download the 2300's complete list of standard equipment as we have only picked out items that are unusual on that list or ones which have caught our eye. There are many more. As far as options go, we only see two that we would want to have aboard: the Taco Grand Slam outriggers and the stainless steel insert in the rub rail. As we said, this boat is ready to go right out of the box, just add fuel, soda and a good lunch.